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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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Word bank
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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: stem · lean · mug · cell · net · spell · shower · deal

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. net — in sport
  8. lean — thin
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. shower — rain
  14. stem — to come from
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. spell — letters
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. spell — magic
  23. deal — to handle
  24. stem — a stem cell

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