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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — of a word
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fall — the season
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wax — to grow
  18. root — the cause
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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