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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. track — a path
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. spell — a short time
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. track — to keep track
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — letters
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stem — to come from
  14. spring — a coil
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spring — of water
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. track — a song
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. spring — the season
  23. lie — to recline
  24. spell — magic

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