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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rule — government
  4. ball — a great time
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cue — a hint
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rule — a law
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cue — a signal
  14. root — of a word
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. root — the cause
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cue — for pool

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