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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. content — happy
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. content — the amount
  12. stem — to come from
  13. shower — to wash
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. shower — rain
  24. rush — to hurry

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