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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bound — certain
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bound — obliged
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bound — tied together
  8. swing — music
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ground — a position
  24. rest — a break

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