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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — a phone
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — to shout
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bank — for money
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bank — of a river
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. scale — in music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  24. mine — an explosive

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