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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — an aim
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rest — a break
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. object — a thing
  14. stem — to come from
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. board — to get on
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. face — to confront
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. face — part of the head

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