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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stem — to come from
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rule — government
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — a law
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mark — a trace
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mark — a grade
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. suit — clothes

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