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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. season — of the year
  12. squash — to crush
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. current — happening now
  15. squash — the sport
  16. current — of water
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. current — electric
  21. mark — a grade
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. season — in sport
  24. rush — hurry

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