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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: mouse · face · leaves · object · mine · stick · mark · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. face — to confront
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. object — to protest
  17. mine — for digging
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — a thing
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. object — an aim

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