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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. firm — decided
  3. cap — a lid
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chip — to eat
  6. firm — steady
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cap — of ice
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. toast — bread
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. firm — a company
  22. lean — thin
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. cap — a hat

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