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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. firm — steady
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. present — a gift
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. suit — to fit
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — clothes
  11. firm — decided
  12. present — the time now
  13. snap — to click
  14. wake — a trail
  15. present — there
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. firm — a company
  19. stem — to come from
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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