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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. deal — to handle
  12. file — a document
  13. land — to come down
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. land — ground
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stem — to come from
  22. land — a country
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chair — a leader

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