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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stem — to come from
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — all right
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wave — with your hand

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