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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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. cold — an illness
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mug — a cup
  11. key — for a lock
  12. season — of the year
  13. stem — to come from
  14. season — in sport
  15. cold — not warm
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mug — a face
  19. key — in music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. calf — a young animal

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