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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. object — to protest
  3. stem — to come from
  4. object — an aim
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. band — a music group
  8. spring — of water
  9. toast — bread
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. object — a thing
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. spring — the season
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. suit — clothes
  18. band — a ring
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mug — a face
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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