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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stem — to come from
  6. roll — a list
  7. staff — employees
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. scale — in music
  10. season — in sport
  11. roll — a cake
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bark — to shout
  16. staff — employees
  17. season — of the year
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. staff — a stick
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — for weighing

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