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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. chair — a leader
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. coach — a trainer

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