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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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 — a stem cell
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. season — in sport
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. foot — a measure
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stem — to come from
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. season — of the year
  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