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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. press — newspapers
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. date — the fruit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. press — to push
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stem — to come from
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bat — the animal

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