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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stem — to come from
  6. clip — for paper
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. clip — a video
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. craft — a skill
  15. clip — to cut
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rush — hurry
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. craft — boats

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