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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rest — a break
  3. scale — in music
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. scale — size or range
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — to come from
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wax — to grow
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — a price
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pit — in a race
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rest — what's left
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. charge — in control
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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