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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. squash — to crush
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rest — a break
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. present — a gift
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chest — a box
  13. row — to paddle
  14. chest — of your body
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. chest — of your body
  18. present — the time now
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rest — what's left
  22. row — a line
  23. present — there
  24. squash — the sport

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