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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lean — thin
  24. bark — of a tree

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