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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. suit — in cards
  3. key — the most important part
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. key — in music
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rest — a break
  12. press — to push
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. press — newspapers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. press — a publisher
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cell — in biology

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