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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. field — for sport
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. field — a subject
  13. row — a line
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. field — farmland
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cap — a hat

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