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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. present — a gift
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. present — there
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. field — for sport
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. present — the time now
  19. field — farmland
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. field — a subject
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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