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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. mark — a grade
  4. object — a thing
  5. drill — the tool
  6. object — an aim
  7. court — of law
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rule — government
  10. object — to protest
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. drill — army training
  13. mark — a trace
  14. court — of a king
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rule — a law
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. court — for sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. scale — in music
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ball — a dance

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