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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stem — to come from
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. board — to get on
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rash — a series
  17. board — a committee
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — hasty
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pit — a hole
  24. straw — a straw man

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