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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. staff — employees
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ground — the earth
  8. degree — temperature
  9. staff — a stick
  10. degree — an amount
  11. staff — employees
  12. rule — a law
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — a position
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. craft — boats
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. degree — from a university
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rule — government

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