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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. field — for sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stem — to come from
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. field — a subject
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. field — farmland
  17. fall — the season
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. leaves — to go away

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