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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bank — of a river
  3. cap — a hat
  4. press — to push
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. board — to get on
  8. bank — for money
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bore — to drill
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bank — for money
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. board — a committee
  16. press — newspapers
  17. degree — from a university
  18. press — a publisher
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cap — a lid
  24. perch — for a bird

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