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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — a phone
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cell — in biology
  7. craft — boats
  8. scale — size or range
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — in cards
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — in music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bat — the animal
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bat — for baseball

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