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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. charge — electricity
  5. club — a group
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pop — to visit
  9. club — for golf
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. club — for dancing
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. tear — from crying
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. charge — in control
  19. pop — music
  20. charge — a price
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stem — to come from
  24. tear — to rip

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