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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. chip — for betting
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wax — to grow
  22. sharp — clever
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. suit — to fit

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