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

Word bank: pit · rest · cabinet · board · mark · stem · bear · cold

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a committee
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rest — a break
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. board — to get on
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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