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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. kid — child
  3. ground — a position
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ground — crushed
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ground — the earth

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