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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 116 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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. stem — of a plant
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. object — a thing
  6. lean — thin
  7. kick — in football
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. pit — in a race
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. march — the month
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stem — to come from
  21. key — in music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. march — the month
  24. march — 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