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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. season — in sport
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. fall — the season
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rock — music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — clothes
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — in cards
  20. season — of the year
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. foot — the bottom
  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