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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cell — a phone
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cell — in biology
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mine — for digging
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pit — in a race
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mine — belonging to me

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