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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mug — a cup
  5. firm — decided
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. firm — steady
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rock — music
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mug — a face
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rock — to move gently

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