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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. last — to go on
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. last — finally
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — final
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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