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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. ground — the earth
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. rush — hurry
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bank — for money
  13. content — the amount
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bank — for money
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ground — crushed
  21. content — happy
  22. ground — a position
  23. stem — to come from
  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