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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bank — for money
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stem — to come from
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — rain
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pop — to visit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — boats
  19. mate — a partner
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pop — music
  22. bank — of a river
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pop — soda

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