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

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. tube — a container
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. court — of a king
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. present — a gift
  14. rush — hurry
  15. tube — the underground
  16. present — the time now
  17. court — of law
  18. present — there
  19. court — for sport
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. club — for golf
  22. stem — to come from
  23. club — a group
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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