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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. can — a tin
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. race — humankind
  5. wind — moving air
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. race — a contest
  8. wind — moving air
  9. current — happening now
  10. can — a tin
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. current — of water
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. current — electric
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. calf — of the leg

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