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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — for sport
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. season — of the year
  10. firm — a company
  11. board — a committee
  12. rash — hasty
  13. board — to get on
  14. stem — to come from
  15. firm — decided
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. field — farmland
  18. firm — steady
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. dip — to sink
  22. season — in sport
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. dip — a sauce

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