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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ball — a dance
  10. wake — a trail
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. can — a tin
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — a tin
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. ball — a round shape

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