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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 116 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. file — a tool
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — to come from
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lie — to recline
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. saw — the tool

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