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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. mark — a grade
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. shower — rain
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. board — a committee
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. board — to get on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stem — to come from
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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