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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 120 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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chair — a leader
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stem — to come from
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cue — for pool
  11. current — of water
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. staff — employees
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cue — a signal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. current — electric
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. track — a song
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. current — happening now
  24. track — a path

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