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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. row — a line
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. face — to confront
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. face — part of the head
  9. board — a committee
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pitch — completely
  24. stem — a stem cell

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