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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 116 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. net — in sport
  3. cell — a phone
  4. net — after costs
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. root — the cause
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bound — certain
  14. net — for catching
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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