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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bound — tied together
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bound — obliged
  7. land — a country
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. land — ground
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. land — to come down
  23. bound — certain
  24. straw — a straw man

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