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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stem — to come from
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. firm — decided
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — a company
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pop — music
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pop — soda
  18. firm — steady
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stem — a stem cell

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