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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 116 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stem — to come from
  5. ground — a position
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rest — a break
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mark — to pay attention

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