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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. game — a match
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. mark — a grade
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stem — to come from
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bulb — for light
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. firm — decided
  19. wound — an injury
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — bread
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. firm — steady

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