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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. scale — size or range
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cap — a lid
  9. land — to come down
  10. pitch — completely
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. scale — in music
  20. rock — music
  21. stem — to come from
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. cap — a hat

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