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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bank — for money
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. saw — the tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wake — a trail
  12. band — a ring
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. stem — to come from
  15. suit — clothes
  16. band — a music group
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bank — for money
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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