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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. capital — money
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. capital — a city
  17. pit — in a race
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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