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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ground — crushed
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ground — a position
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — the earth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rest — a break
  16. ball — a dance
  17. staff — employees
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stem — to come from
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. staff — employees

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