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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. kick — in football
  3. firm — decided
  4. tube — the underground
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. swing — music
  9. firm — a company
  10. scale — in music
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. key — the most important part
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. swing — in golf
  15. tube — a container
  16. swing — to play on
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stem — to come from
  20. firm — steady
  21. dip — to sink
  22. key — in music
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. key — for a lock

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