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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. net — for catching
  3. rock — music
  4. firm — a company
  5. stem — to come from
  6. net — in sport
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. firm — decided
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. net — after costs
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. firm — steady
  22. fork — in a road
  23. kick — in football
  24. rock — a stone

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