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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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. leaves — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — to get on
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. toast — bread
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. craft — boats
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. board — a committee
  24. plane — a tool

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