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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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468
Word bank
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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. kick — in football
  8. pit — in a race
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. charge — in control
  18. pit — a hole
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. charge — a price
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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