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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. present — a gift
  9. season — in sport
  10. stem — to come from
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hand — in cards
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. hand — help
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. present — there
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. present — the time now
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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