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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rash — a series
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. degree — temperature
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wind — moving air
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rash — hasty
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wind — moving air
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. degree — from a university
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wind — to turn a key

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