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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stem — to come from
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fine — all right
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. field — a subject
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. capital — money
  17. rock — music
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. capital — a city
  24. fine — high quality

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