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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: drill · lie · date · suit · stem · perch · press · cell

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stem — to come from
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. suit — in cards
  15. date — the fruit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. drill — army training
  21. cell — in biology
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lie — to recline
  24. perch — the fish

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