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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — a cake
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — a break
  11. mate — a partner
  12. squash — the sport
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spring — a coil
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rest — what's left

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