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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. cue — a hint
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. field — for sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. field — a subject
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stem — to come from
  12. board — to get on
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fine — high quality
  15. board — a committee
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. squash — to crush
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. field — farmland
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mark — a trace
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cue — a signal

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