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

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stem — to come from
  5. track — a song
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rock — music
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. drill — army training
  13. staff — employees
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. club — for dancing
  16. drill — a practice
  17. club — for golf
  18. rock — a stone
  19. drill — the tool
  20. club — a group
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lean — thin

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