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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. board — to get on
  3. present — a gift
  4. pit — a hole
  5. present — the time now
  6. board — a committee
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ground — the earth
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. present — there
  21. ground — a position
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stem — a stem cell

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