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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. firm — a company
  3. fall — the season
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. firm — decided
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. track — a path
  12. stem — to come from
  13. field — farmland
  14. fall — to drop
  15. firm — steady
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — a song
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. racket — for tennis

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