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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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Word bank
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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: cap · pass · arm · rush · dip · staff · stem · face

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rush — hurry
  9. face — to confront
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cap — of ice
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. face — part of the head
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pass — a permit
  21. staff — employees
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. arm — part of the body

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