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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pit — in a race
  3. roll — a list
  4. stem — to come from
  5. charge — a price
  6. net — in sport
  7. charge — in control
  8. net — for catching
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. roll — a cake
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. net — after costs
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mate — a friend
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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