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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rash — hasty
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stem — to come from
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. sharp — clever
  15. firm — decided
  16. prune — to trim
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. firm — steady
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rash — a series
  21. firm — a company
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — to trim

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