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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cap — a lid
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. net — for catching
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. net — after costs
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cap — of ice
  18. board — a committee
  19. net — in sport
  20. fine — all right
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. board — to get on

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