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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: current · cell · foot · stem · present · rash · bat · toast

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. current — electric
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. present — the time now
  5. stem — to come from
  6. present — there
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bat — the animal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. current — of water
  14. rash — a series
  15. current — happening now
  16. present — a gift
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rash — hasty
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. toast — bread
  24. cell — in biology

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