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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mate — a partner
  10. court — of a king
  11. stock — goods
  12. court — for sport
  13. stock — shares
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. court — of law
  19. stem — to come from
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mark — a trace
  23. kick — in football
  24. mark — a grade

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