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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. key — in music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mug — a face
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. key — for a lock
  15. tear — to rip
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mug — a cup
  20. tear — from crying
  21. spell — a short time
  22. tear — from crying
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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