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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. can — a tin
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rash — hasty
  14. can — to be able to
  15. land — a country
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — to come down
  19. wound — an injury
  20. land — ground
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stem — to come from
  23. rash — a series
  24. wound — an injury

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