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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. staff — employees
  5. press — to push
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. staff — employees
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. net — in sport
  12. board — a committee
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. net — for catching
  19. staff — a stick
  20. press — newspapers
  21. net — after costs
  22. plane — a tool
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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