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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ground — crushed
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stem — to come from
  15. press — to push
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mine — for digging
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ground — a position
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. fork — in a road
  23. press — a publisher
  24. ground — the earth

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