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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stem — to come from
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. club — a group
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ground — the earth
  16. cap — a lid
  17. ground — crushed
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. squash — to crush
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. squash — the sport
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. leaves — lets stay

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