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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. firm — steady
  4. lean — thin
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — rain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — to wash
  19. lean — to bend
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. field — farmland

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