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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — to come from
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. staff — a stick
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. season — of the year
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cell — in biology
  17. press — newspapers
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. press — a publisher
  20. season — in sport
  21. staff — employees
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. staff — employees
  24. press — to push

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