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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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