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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rush — hurry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fall — the season
  14. rock — music
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rock — to move gently

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