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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mug — a cup
  3. march — music
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. march — the month
  6. bound — obliged
  7. board — to get on
  8. march — the month
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. degree — from a university
  14. board — a committee
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bound — certain
  17. stem — to come from
  18. degree — an amount
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bound — tied together
  24. board — a flat piece

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