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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. march — music
  10. cell — in biology
  11. march — the month
  12. cue — for pool
  13. file — a tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cell — a phone
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. mark — a trace
  24. toast — bread

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