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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mark — a trace
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — certain
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bound — obliged
  19. key — the most important part
  20. firm — decided
  21. mark — a grade
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. bound — tied together

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