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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: sharp · pop · jam · object · lie · spell · stem · file

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. object — to protest
  4. pop — soda
  5. spell — magic
  6. object — a thing
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. object — an aim
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. file — a tool
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pop — music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. spell — a short time
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — letters

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