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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. object — to protest
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. squash — the sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — to come from
  16. object — an aim
  17. present — the time now
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. can — a tin

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