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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: face · mug · chair · stem · race · suit · cap · perch

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. perch — the fish
  5. race — a contest
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cap — a hat
  8. race — humankind
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chair — a leader
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mug — a face
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — to rob
  18. face — to confront
  19. mug — a cup
  20. face — part of the head
  21. suit — clothes
  22. race — the arms race
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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