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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cold — not warm
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mug — a face
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cold — an illness
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. lean — thin

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