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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. toast — bread
  5. lean — to bend
  6. saw — the tool
  7. deal — to handle
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. lean — thin
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. club — a group
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. club — for golf
  20. rule — government
  21. board — a committee
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stem — to come from

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