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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rest — a break
  6. vault — a safe
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rest — what's left
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mouse — the animal

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