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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: cell · stem · saw · mine · press · mark · bulb · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mark — a trace
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cell — a phone
  12. press — to push
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stand — to bear
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bulb — for light
  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