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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. staff — a stick
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stem — to come from
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. key — the most important part
  10. content — the amount
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. content — happy
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. key — in music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. face — part of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. face — to confront
  21. key — for a lock
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. staff — employees
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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