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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. track — a path
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. land — ground
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. track — a song
  12. land — to come down
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. track — to keep track
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cue — a hint
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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