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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. track — a song
  6. stand — to bear
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pop — soda
  9. shower — rain
  10. track — a path
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. object — an aim
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pop — to visit
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cell — in biology
  20. object — a thing
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. object — to protest
  23. pop — music
  24. pass — a permit

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