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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rock — music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bear — the animal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. suit — in cards
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. nail — on a finger

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