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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — army training
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. squash — to crush
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mark — a trace
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mark — a grade
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stem — to come from
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. drill — the tool
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bank — for money

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