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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. object — an aim
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ground — crushed
  7. object — a thing
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cue — a hint
  11. field — for sport
  12. ground — a position
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. field — a subject
  15. ground — the earth
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stem — to come from
  19. cue — for pool
  20. field — farmland
  21. object — to protest
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cue — a signal

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