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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. current — electric
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. current — of water
  9. tube — a container
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fall — the season
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. deal — to handle
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. current — happening now
  21. stem — to come from
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — a permit
  24. fork — in a road

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