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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stand — to bear
  3. land — a country
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. land — ground
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — the underground
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. land — to come down
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. staff — employees
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. degree — an amount
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. degree — temperature

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