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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. suit — in cards
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rash — a series
  9. court — of law
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. court — of a king
  12. dip — to sink
  13. suit — clothes
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. court — for sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rash — hasty
  18. suit — to fit

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