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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. hand — help
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hand — in cards
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. dip — a sauce

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