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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 124 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. saw — the tool
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. saw — the tool

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