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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. track — to keep track
  3. board — a committee
  4. charge — in control
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cap — a hat
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. track — a song
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. track — a path
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rule — a law
  16. board — to get on
  17. charge — electricity
  18. chair — a leader
  19. rule — government
  20. charge — a price
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. cap — a lid

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