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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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. toast — a drink to someone
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. march — the month
  11. bass — low music
  12. march — music
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bass — the fish
  15. march — the month
  16. stem — to come from
  17. season — in sport
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. kick — in football
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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