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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lie — to recline
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cue — for pool
  8. object — a thing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. track — a path
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cue — a signal
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. stem — to come from
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. track — to keep track
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — a song

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