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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — a price
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — in control
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bank — for money
  19. rest — a break
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fall — the season
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wake — before a funeral

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