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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. suit — to fit
  6. band — a ring
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. field — farmland
  9. rush — hurry
  10. suit — clothes
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. field — a subject
  15. band — a music group
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. field — for sport
  18. stand — to bear
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. current — of water
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stem — of a plant

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