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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. net — after costs
  7. mug — a face
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. season — of the year
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — to protest
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. object — a thing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. net — in sport
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mug — a cup
  20. net — for catching
  21. object — an aim
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. cabinet — ministers

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