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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — to get on
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. firm — a company
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. firm — decided
  20. board — a committee
  21. present — there
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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