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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fine — all right
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rock — a stone
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bat — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rock — music
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stem — a stem cell

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