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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. court — of a king
  7. mate — a partner
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. court — for sport
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mate — to breed
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. court — of law
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mate — a friend
  24. dip — to dunk

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