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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 116 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. race — humankind
  4. firm — a company
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. ball — a dance
  9. root — the cause
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. race — a contest
  12. pop — music
  13. firm — decided
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. root — of a word
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. firm — steady
  20. pop — soda
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. root — of a plant
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stem — to come from

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