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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lean — thin
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rock — music
  8. content — happy
  9. rock — a stone
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stem — to come from
  12. face — part of the head
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. face — to confront
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mark — a trace
  24. content — the amount

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