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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fall — the season
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — of a river
  17. degree — an amount
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a great time
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. degree — from a university
  24. ball — a dance

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