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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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rock — music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. degree — from a university
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stem — to come from
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. mark — a grade
  18. foot — a measure
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. degree — temperature
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rock — a stone

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