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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. track — a path
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — to keep track
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. squash — to crush
  11. row — a line
  12. lean — thin
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. row — to paddle
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. track — a song
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stem — to come from
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com