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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. track — a song
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. firm — decided
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ground — crushed
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. craft — a skill
  12. firm — steady
  13. lean — thin
  14. firm — a company
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. track — a path
  18. ground — a position
  19. track — to keep track
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. craft — boats
  22. ground — the earth
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stem — of a plant

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