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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. tube — a container
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pop — music
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bowl — a football final

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