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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. craft — boats
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mark — a grade
  7. present — a gift
  8. craft — a skill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. present — the time now
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ground — a position
  13. key — for a lock
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mark — a trace
  16. key — in music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. present — there
  20. stem — to come from
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. key — the most important part
  24. ground — crushed

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