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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. swing — to play on
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. swing — in golf
  5. tube — a container
  6. march — the month
  7. swing — music
  8. tube — the underground
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pit — a hole
  15. spell — letters
  16. march — the month
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. march — music
  19. stem — to come from
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pit — in a race
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — magic
  24. patient — a sick person

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