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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rash — a series
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. foot — a measure
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — a match
  18. saw — the tool
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rash — hasty
  21. game — wild animals
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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