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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pop — music
  3. fall — the season
  4. board — a committee
  5. pop — soda
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. key — in music
  8. cap — a hat
  9. board — to get on
  10. cap — of ice
  11. fall — to drop
  12. key — the most important part
  13. firm — steady
  14. pop — to visit
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. firm — decided
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cap — a lid
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fall — to drop
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — in control

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