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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. board — a committee
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stem — to come from
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rock — music
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — government
  12. mug — a face
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bank — for money
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rock — a stone
  21. board — to get on
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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