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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 124 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bass — the fish
  6. net — for catching
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. race — humankind
  17. net — after costs
  18. stem — to come from
  19. race — the arms race
  20. toast — bread
  21. dip — to sink
  22. net — in sport
  23. race — a contest
  24. wave — of the sea

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