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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. board — a committee
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — to get on
  7. chair — a leader
  8. spell — magic
  9. stem — to come from
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. spell — letters
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. tear — to rip
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spell — a short time
  23. tear — from crying
  24. coach — a trainer

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