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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. root — the cause
  5. band — a music group
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mark — a grade
  12. board — to get on
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. board — a committee
  21. root — of a word
  22. band — a ring
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mark — a trace

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