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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. object — to protest
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. object — a thing
  9. present — a gift
  10. face — to confront
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. present — the time now
  13. perch — the fish
  14. face — to point toward
  15. snap — to click
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pitch — completely
  21. present — there
  22. bear — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. object — an aim

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