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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. dip — to sink
  7. clip — to cut
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. kid — child
  11. stem — to come from
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rush — hurry
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rock — a stone
  24. kid — to tease

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