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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. last — final
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bass — low music
  17. last — finally
  18. stem — to come from
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bass — the fish
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. charge — a price
  24. last — to go on

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