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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. roll — a cake
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. board — to get on
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. board — a committee
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. roll — a list
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rush — hurry

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