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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. board — a committee
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. row — a line
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stem — to come from
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. row — to paddle
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pitch — a sports field

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