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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mate — a partner
  3. staff — employees
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. staff — a stick
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fork — in a road
  17. staff — employees
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mark — a grade
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — hurry

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