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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · sharp · mug · dip · ground · cabinet · stem · arm

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. perch — the fish
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mug — a cup
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ground — crushed
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. sharp — clever
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. ground — a position
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mug — to rob
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mug — a face

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