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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rush — hurry
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. spell — letters
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. dip — to sink
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wake — a trail
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. stem — to come from
  24. date — the fruit

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