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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: mug · stem · pop · jam · lean · sharp · toast · cell

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pop — music
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lean — thin
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cell — in biology
  11. toast — bread
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mug — a cup
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pop — soda
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mug — to rob
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. lean — to rest against

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