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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stem — to come from
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mug — a cup
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. dip — to sink
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — to tease
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. object — a thing
  24. stem — of a plant

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