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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 116 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. field — for sport
  3. tube — a container
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. tube — the underground
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. staff — employees
  9. firm — a company
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. field — farmland
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. field — a subject
  15. firm — decided
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — steady
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. staff — a stick

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