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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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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mate — a friend
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. foot — a measure
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mate — a partner
  22. cold — an illness
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cold — not warm

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