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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bat — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. wound — an injury
  11. band — a ring
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rock — music
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stand — for spectators

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