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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rash — hasty
  12. face — to point toward
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fine — all right
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. face — to confront
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rash — a series
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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