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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · nail · wind · hide · cell · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cell — in biology
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. cell — a phone

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