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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. ball — a great time
  4. net — after costs
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. swing — in golf
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. dip — to sink
  11. foot — a measure
  12. swing — music
  13. stem — to come from
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ball — a dance
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. net — for catching
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a round shape

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