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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. key — in music
  4. object — to protest
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mate — a partner
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. object — a thing
  9. stem — to come from
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cold — an illness
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cold — not warm
  17. bore — to tire
  18. press — to push
  19. key — for a lock
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mate — to breed
  22. press — newspapers
  23. object — an aim
  24. mate — a friend

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