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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rest — what's left
  10. kick — in football
  11. fine — all right
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fine — high quality
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. rule — government
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. fall — the season

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