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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bass — low music
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — the fish
  10. press — newspapers
  11. kick — in football
  12. press — a publisher
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. wax — to grow
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. press — to push
  21. saw — the tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wax — for sculpting

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