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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. track — a path
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stand — to bear
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. court — of a king
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. track — a song
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. court — of law
  20. sharp — clever
  21. court — for sport
  22. stem — to come from
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. stand — on your feet

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