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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mug — to rob
  3. net — for catching
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. net — in sport
  8. mug — a face
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mug — a cup
  11. net — after costs
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing

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