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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mug — a face
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mug — to rob
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mug — a cup
  15. season — of the year
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. stem — to come from
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. face — to confront
  24. season — in sport

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