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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 116 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: cabinet · stem · present · board · rush · court · sharp · cap

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. rush — hurry
  5. court — of a king
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cap — a lid
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. court — of law
  11. board — a committee
  12. sharp — clever
  13. board — to get on
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. present — a gift
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. court — for sport
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. rush — a thrill
  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