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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 124 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. board — to get on
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rush — hurry
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cap — a hat
  15. stem — to come from
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cap — a lid
  24. board — a committee

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