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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. degree — temperature
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. court — of a king
  5. degree — an amount
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. court — of law
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chair — a leader
  14. lean — to bend
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stem — to come from
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lean — thin
  19. degree — from a university
  20. court — for sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chair — to sit on

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