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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 valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. object — a thing
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. object — to protest
  7. cue — for pool
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. degree — temperature
  10. ground — a position
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. degree — an amount
  13. tube — a container
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. object — an aim
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cue — a hint
  21. degree — from a university
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. tube — the underground

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