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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. row — a line
  3. stem — to come from
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bound — obliged
  8. row — to paddle
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — a position
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bound — certain
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bound — tied together
  24. ground — crushed

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