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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fall — the season
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cold — an illness
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bank — for money
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — to confront
  21. bank — for money
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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