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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cell — a phone
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. dip — to sink
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stem — to come from
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. staff — employees
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. kick — in football
  18. bear — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stem — a stem cell

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