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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. press — to push
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. squash — the sport
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rock — music
  15. drill — army training
  16. press — a publisher
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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