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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: stem · object · chair · cell · bear · clip · ruler · pound

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. clip — a video
  6. object — an aim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. clip — for paper
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cell — in biology
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — the animal
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. chair — a leader
  24. object — to protest

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