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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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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pit — a hole
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. capital — money
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. capital — a city
  11. staff — a stick
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. board — a committee
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — to get on
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cabinet — ministers

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