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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stem — to come from
  4. foot — a measure
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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