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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lean — to bend
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. land — ground
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stem — to come from
  17. prune — to trim
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lean — thin
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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