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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. spring — of water
  3. fall — the season
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. spring — a coil
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spring — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. toast — bread

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