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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. staff — employees
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. present — there
  6. net — in sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. stem — to come from
  9. net — after costs
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. present — a gift
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. tube — the underground
  15. deal — to handle
  16. present — the time now
  17. mate — a partner
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. net — for catching
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. tube — a container

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