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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. net — for catching
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. suit — to fit
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — to tire
  17. face — to point toward
  18. net — after costs
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. stem — to come from
  21. net — in sport
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. prune — to trim

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