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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rock — music
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stem — to come from
  5. craft — boats
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bound — tied together
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pitch — completely
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ruler — a monarch

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