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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stem — to come from
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mine — for digging
  14. board — a committee
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. board — to get on
  19. snap — to click
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bulb — of a plant

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