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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. content — the amount
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. present — a gift
  7. rest — a break
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. row — a line
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. present — there
  18. firm — a company
  19. present — the time now
  20. firm — decided
  21. content — happy
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — what's left

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