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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. race — humankind
  5. march — the month
  6. race — a contest
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bore — to tire
  11. march — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stem — to come from
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. march — the month
  20. bore — to drill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. can — a tin
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — a tin

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