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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stem — to come from
  6. spell — magic
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitch — completely
  9. content — happy
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. content — the amount
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. spell — a short time
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. chair — a leader
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. spell — letters

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