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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. last — final
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bass — low music
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. charge — electricity
  8. last — finally
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. charge — a price
  11. bass — the fish
  12. tear — from crying
  13. last — to go on
  14. firm — decided
  15. tear — to rip
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stem — to come from
  21. charge — in control
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. tear — from crying

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