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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. land — a country
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bound — obliged
  6. land — ground
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — tied together
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. land — to come down
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. snap — to click
  22. bound — certain
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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