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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.

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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. scale — in music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — in a race
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pit — a hole
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ground — crushed
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mug — a cup
  19. can — a tin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. scale — for weighing

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