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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. court — for sport
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. net — in sport
  7. court — of law
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. staff — employees
  12. mate — a friend
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. court — of a king
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. net — after costs
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mate — a partner
  24. net — for catching

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