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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mark — a grade
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. can — a tin
  8. pound — a weight
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. row — a line
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. can — a tin
  22. mark — a trace
  23. land — ground
  24. can — to be able to

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