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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bulb — for light
  3. date — the fruit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cap — of ice
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stem — to come from
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wind — moving air
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. wind — moving air
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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