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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. object — a thing
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stem — to come from
  23. kick — in football
  24. leaves — to go away

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