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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. degree — temperature
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. degree — an amount
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. toast — bread
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. toast — the most admired

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