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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 116 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. charge — a price
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fall — the season
  21. stem — to come from
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. charge — in control

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