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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. craft — boats
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. root — of a word
  6. lean — thin
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. fall — the season
  17. mine — for digging
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bound — certain
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bound — tied together
  24. root — the cause

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