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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rest — a break
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. object — an aim
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. field — for sport
  23. pitch — completely
  24. object — a thing

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