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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: squash · present · foot · suit · lie · mine · clip · stem

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. present — there
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. clip — for paper
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. present — a gift
  11. stem — to come from
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. clip — to cut
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. squash — the sport
  19. present — the time now
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mine — for digging
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. clip — a video

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