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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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. field — farmland
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. land — a country
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tube — a container
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. field — a subject
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. field — for sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. stem — to come from
  21. land — ground
  22. tube — the underground
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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