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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rule — government
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. march — music
  16. tube — the underground
  17. march — the month
  18. tube — a container
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. march — the month
  22. rule — a law
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mine — an explosive

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