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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. foot — the bottom
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cap — of ice
  7. face — to point toward
  8. march — the month
  9. face — to confront
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rest — what's left
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fine — high quality
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cap — a lid
  19. march — the month
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fine — all right
  22. march — music
  23. rest — a break
  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