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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mug — a face
  6. stem — to come from
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cell — a phone
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pass — a permit
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. fall — the season
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. mine — for digging
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cell — in biology
  24. mug — to rob

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