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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. toast — bread
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. court — of a king
  10. march — the month
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. court — for sport
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stem — to come from
  15. dip — to sink
  16. court — of law
  17. march — the month
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. march — music
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. toast — the most admired

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