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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. current — of water
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. lean — thin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. face — to confront
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bulb — for light
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stem — to come from
  17. suit — to fit
  18. current — happening now
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. current — electric
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — a stem cell

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