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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. craft — boats
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. face — to point toward
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — to confront
  15. board — to get on
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. face — part of the head
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. board — a committee

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