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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. drill — the tool
  5. key — in music
  6. snap — to click
  7. drill — army training
  8. net — after costs
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. net — for catching
  20. pit — in a race
  21. net — in sport
  22. drill — a practice
  23. key — for a lock
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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