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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. staff — a stick
  8. field — for sport
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. field — a subject
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. object — a thing
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. field — farmland
  17. object — to protest
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — an aim
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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