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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. fine — all right
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bound — certain
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pitcher — a jug

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