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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chest — a box
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bound — obliged
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stem — to come from
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chest — of your body
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. staff — employees
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. staff — a stick
  20. snap — to click
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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