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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. file — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. net — in sport
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. net — for catching
  11. file — a document
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. game — wild animals
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. net — after costs
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. game — a match
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wave — of the sea

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