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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stem — to come from
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. cue — a signal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pop — soda
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. capital — a city
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cue — for pool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. capital — money
  19. cue — a hint
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pop — music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pop — to visit

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