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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. suit — to fit
  4. can — a tin
  5. net — in sport
  6. bulb — for light
  7. can — to be able to
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. kick — in football
  11. net — after costs
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — for catching
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. suit — in cards
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. suit — clothes
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. clip — to cut

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