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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pit — a hole
  8. charge — in control
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. clip — a video
  13. clip — to cut
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. charge — a price
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bass — low music
  21. rest — a break
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — to eat with

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