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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: cell · present · stem · rest · roll · toast

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. roll — a cake
  4. present — a gift
  5. cell — in biology
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cell — a phone
  11. present — the time now
  12. toast — bread
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. roll — a list
  15. rest — a break
  16. present — there
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired

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