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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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. cold — the Cold War
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. cold — an illness
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bass — low music
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rock — a stone
  14. season — in sport
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cold — not warm
  18. season — of the year
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stem — to come from
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bass — the fish
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. rock — music

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