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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 · coach · cell · scale · saw · current · clip · race

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cell — in biology
  3. saw — the tool
  4. race — the arms race
  5. scale — in music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — electric
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. race — humankind
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — a video
  13. current — of water
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stem — to come from
  17. current — happening now
  18. cell — a phone
  19. clip — to cut
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. race — a contest

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