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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stem — to come from
  5. cold — not warm
  6. pitch — completely
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a committee
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cold — an illness
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. mouse — the animal

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