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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. staff — a stick
  8. drill — a practice
  9. kid — child
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stem — to come from
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. kid — to tease
  19. drill — the tool
  20. dip — to sink
  21. drill — army training
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fork — in a road

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