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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 120 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. snap — to click
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. tear — to rip
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. stem — to come from
  11. season — of the year
  12. drill — the tool
  13. season — in sport
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. tear — from crying
  18. can — a tin
  19. tear — from crying
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. drill — army training
  24. season — to add flavour

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