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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lean — thin
  9. board — a committee
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lean — to bend
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pound — a weight
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. leaves — to go away

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