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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pit — in a race
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pop — music
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rule — government
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rule — a law
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stock — goods
  21. pop — soda
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stock — shares
  24. rush — to hurry

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