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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. drill — a practice
  4. present — there
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. present — a gift
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. content — happy
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. present — the time now
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stem — to come from
  24. content — the amount

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