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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — a publisher
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. field — for sport
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. press — newspapers
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. field — farmland
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. press — to push
  24. field — a subject

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