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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mate — a partner
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ground — crushed
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stem — to come from
  13. tube — a container
  14. fine — all right
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ground — the earth
  18. toast — bread
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ground — a position
  24. fine — a penalty

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