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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · leaves · stem · pitcher · nail · date · pound · bear

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pound — a weight
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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