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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. scale — size or range
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mark — a grade
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. scale — in music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. date — the fruit
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — a trace
  24. scale — for weighing

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