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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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. plane — a tool
  4. bore — to tire
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. track — a song
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. track — a path
  15. bound — obliged
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bore — to drill
  18. stem — to come from

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