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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. present — there
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. scale — in music
  10. present — the time now
  11. charge — in control
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. present — a gift
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — a price
  24. lie — to recline

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