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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. degree — temperature
  6. stem — to come from
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. snap — to click
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fan — a supporter

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