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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 120 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. content — the amount
  3. fall — to drop
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. spell — magic
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. spell — a short time
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stem — to come from
  20. content — happy
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — thin
  23. fall — the season
  24. spell — letters

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