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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. firm — a company
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stem — to come from
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. net — after costs
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. snap — to click
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. net — for catching
  18. toast — bread
  19. firm — steady
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. net — in sport
  22. firm — decided
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fall — to drop

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