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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mug — to rob
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. drill — army training
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mug — a face
  18. wake — a trail
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mark — a trace

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