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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. club — a group
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. capital — money
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rock — music
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. club — for dancing
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. capital — a city
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rule — government
  19. club — for golf
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rule — a law
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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