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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. face — to confront
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. face — part of the head
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — a committee
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bat — the animal
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. board — to get on
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. stem — to come from

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