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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 124 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. suit — in cards
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chest — of your body
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. staff — employees
  10. race — the arms race
  11. chest — of your body
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. chest — a box
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. kick — in football
  21. suit — clothes
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. suit — to fit

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