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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 116 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rule — a law
  6. last — final
  7. stock — goods
  8. present — a gift
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rule — government
  12. object — a thing
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. object — to protest
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stem — to come from
  17. last — finally
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. last — to go on
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stock — shares
  24. object — an aim

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