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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. spell — letters
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stem — to come from
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. fall — to drop
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. lie — to recline
  15. firm — decided
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fall — the season
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. firm — a company
  21. object — a thing
  22. saw — the tool
  23. firm — steady
  24. lie — an untruth

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