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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lean — to bend
  8. race — humankind
  9. mug — to rob
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. race — the arms race
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mug — a face
  16. staff — employees
  17. content — happy
  18. lean — thin
  19. mug — a cup
  20. content — the amount
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stem — to come from

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