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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. rash — hasty
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rash — a series
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. board — to get on
  24. deal — to handle

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