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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. firm — a company
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ground — a position
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. firm — steady
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. firm — decided
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cell — in biology
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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