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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. spring — a coil
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. board — a committee
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. perch — the fish
  16. spring — the season
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cap — a hat
  19. spring — of water
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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