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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bear — the animal
  5. land — ground
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rush — hurry
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. land — to come down
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cell — a phone
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cell — in biology
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. land — a country
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cue — a hint

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