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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bound — certain
  10. present — there
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bound — obliged
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. present — the time now
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bound — tied together
  22. present — a gift
  23. ground — the earth
  24. kick — in football

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