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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — a tin
  6. fall — the season
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cell — in biology
  9. present — the time now
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stem — to come from
  13. can — to be able to
  14. race — a contest
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. present — a gift
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. present — there
  22. race — humankind
  23. can — a tin
  24. fall — to drop

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