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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. present — there
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cap — of ice
  7. present — a gift
  8. shower — to wash
  9. present — the time now
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rock — a stone
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. shower — rain
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. stem — to come from

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