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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. kick — in football
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — happy
  6. stem — to come from
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pit — in a race
  21. content — the amount
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cue — a signal

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