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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. dip — to sink
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stem — to come from
  7. race — the arms race
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. object — to protest
  10. cell — a phone
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. press — a publisher
  16. race — humankind
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pit — in a race
  20. race — a contest
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. swing — music
  24. press — to push

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