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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cap — of ice
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cap — a lid
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cap — a hat
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. key — in music
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bass — low music
  22. craft — boats
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bore — to drill

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