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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. cap — a hat
  3. drill — army training
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cap — a lid
  6. mate — a friend
  7. drill — a practice
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. club — a group
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wound — an injury
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. drill — the tool
  16. club — for golf
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. stem — to come from
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. club — for dancing
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mate — a partner
  24. dip — to dunk

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