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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. cell — in biology
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cell — a phone
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stock — goods
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rock — music
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stock — shares
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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