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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mark — a grade
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. present — there
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. dip — to sink
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chair — a leader

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