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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pop — music
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stem — to come from
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bound — certain
  14. suit — clothes
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pop — soda
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pop — to visit
  21. press — to push
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wax — to grow

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