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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. board — to get on
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rest — a break
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — a committee
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bat — in an idiom

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