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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. land — to come down
  6. suit — clothes
  7. key — in music
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. land — a country
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bulb — for light
  13. race — humankind
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stem — to come from
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — to fit
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. race — the arms race
  23. land — ground
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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