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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. current — of water
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. rule — government
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rule — a law
  12. bound — tied together
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bound — certain
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cell — in biology
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cell — in a prison

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