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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. charge — electricity
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. charge — in control
  10. season — in sport
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rush — hurry
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. charge — a price
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. roll — a list
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. season — of the year
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stem — a stem cell

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