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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ground — the earth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stand — to bear
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stem — to come from
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ground — a position
  24. suit — to fit

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