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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · present · leaves · stem · cabinet · race

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. present — there
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. present — a gift
  8. race — a contest
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. race — humankind
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — the time now
  16. race — the arms race
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — ministers

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