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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. object — an aim
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — a thing
  9. sharp — clever
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cap — a lid
  18. present — the time now
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. sharp — exactly

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