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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. can — a tin
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — money
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stem — to come from
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. can — a tin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wake — a trail

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