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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wound — an injury
  4. shower — rain
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stem — to come from
  13. shower — to wash
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bark — to shout
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wake — before a funeral

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