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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fall — the season
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. staff — employees
  7. key — in music
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fall — to drop
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fall — to drop
  16. track — a song
  17. key — the most important part
  18. track — a path
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. staff — employees
  22. content — happy
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bulb — for light

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