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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — to bear
  3. row — to paddle
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spell — letters
  8. suit — to fit
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. object — to protest
  11. saw — the tool
  12. object — a thing
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stem — to come from
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. object — an aim

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