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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. roll — a list
  4. snap — to click
  5. degree — temperature
  6. firm — decided
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. roll — a cake
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stem — to come from
  20. firm — steady
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. firm — a company
  24. pound — to hit hard

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