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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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. file — a line of people
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. track — a song
  7. file — a document
  8. bore — to tire
  9. track — a path
  10. file — a tool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. craft — boats
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bore — to drill
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stem — to come from
  20. press — newspapers
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. mark — a trace

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