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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cell — in biology
  3. roll — a cake
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. toast — bread
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fall — the season
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fall — to drop
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — a list
  15. season — in sport
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cap — a lid
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. season — of the year
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cap — of ice

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