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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. track — a song
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. lie — to recline
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. track — a path
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bore — to tire

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