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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pass — a permit
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. march — the month
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chair — a leader
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. march — the month
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. board — a committee
  20. march — music
  21. board — to get on
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. foot — part of the body

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