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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: cell · pitcher · lie · stem · lean · dip · spell · sharp

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. spell — magic
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. lean — thin
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. spell — letters
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cell — a phone
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lean — to bend
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spell — a short time

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