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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mate — to breed
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. file — a document
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cell — a phone
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cell — in biology
  23. stem — to come from
  24. file — a tool

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