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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. field — farmland
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. shower — to wash
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. shower — rain
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lean — thin
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. field — a subject
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mug — a face
  22. field — for sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mug — to rob

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