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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. swing — music
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. object — an aim
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rash — a series
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ground — crushed
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rash — hasty
  15. object — to protest
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — a thing
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ground — a position
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. snap — to click
  22. ground — the earth
  23. swing — in golf
  24. coach — a trainer

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