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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. object — to protest
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stem — to come from
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. file — a document
  13. object — a thing
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. file — a tool
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ground — the earth
  24. object — an aim

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