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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lean — thin
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. suit — in cards
  14. can — a tin
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cap — a lid
  21. lean — to bend
  22. can — a tin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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