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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. net — after costs
  3. stem — to come from
  4. toast — bread
  5. land — a country
  6. mug — a face
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mug — to rob
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pop — music
  13. net — for catching
  14. mug — a cup
  15. net — in sport
  16. land — to come down
  17. pop — to visit
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. land — ground
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pop — soda

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