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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cap — a hat
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — a trail
  9. present — the time now
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — size or range
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cap — a lid
  15. present — there
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. scale — in music
  19. cap — of ice
  20. present — a gift
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. racket — a loud noise

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