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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cell — a phone
  6. rock — music
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ground — crushed
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — a stone
  24. prune — to trim

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