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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stem — to come from
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — to protest
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. shower — rain
  18. firm — a company
  19. present — there
  20. object — a thing
  21. present — a gift
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. present — the time now

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