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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. board — a committee
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. board — to get on
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pop — soda
  13. cap — a lid
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. degree — an amount
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. cap — a hat
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — temperature
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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