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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fine — high quality
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ground — the earth
  9. kid — to tease
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stem — to come from
  13. can — a tin
  14. fine — all right
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. ground — a position
  18. branch — a division
  19. ground — crushed
  20. snap — to click
  21. can — a tin
  22. row — a line
  23. kid — child
  24. can — to be able to

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