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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cap — of ice
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. face — to point toward
  12. ball — a dance
  13. branch — a division
  14. ball — a great time
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. season — in sport
  18. cap — a lid
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. stem — to come from
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. season — of the year
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. board — a committee

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