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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — size or range
  8. board — a committee
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. board — to get on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. scale — in music

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