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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. track — a song
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mug — a face
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mate — a partner
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. mate — a friend
  19. snap — to click
  20. mate — to breed
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. track — a path
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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