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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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468
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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. staff — employees
  7. tube — the underground
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. tube — a container
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cap — a hat
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. cap — of ice
  16. race — humankind
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. race — a contest
  20. cap — a lid
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. race — the arms race

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