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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cap — of ice
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. season — in sport
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cap — a hat
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — goods
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. club — a group
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. club — for dancing
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. season — of the year
  22. stock — shares
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. club — for golf

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