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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — of a king
  8. suit — to fit
  9. race — a contest
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stem — to come from
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lean — to bend
  16. race — humankind
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stem — of a plant

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