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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. spell — magic
  3. court — for sport
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pound — a weight
  9. court — of law
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. spell — letters
  13. can — a tin
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stem — to come from
  22. court — of a king
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pound — to hit hard

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