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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — to come from
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. mug — a cup
  7. key — in music
  8. present — there
  9. mug — a face
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ground — the earth
  12. present — a gift
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lie — to recline
  15. court — of law
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — a position
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. present — the time now
  23. cap — a lid
  24. key — for a lock

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