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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — in a race
  5. staff — a stick
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. scale — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fall — the season
  19. stand — to bear
  20. staff — employees
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fall — to drop
  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