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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. board — a committee
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. stem — to come from
  12. lean — thin
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stock — goods
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. board — to get on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stand — to bear

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