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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chest — a box
  3. lean — to bend
  4. root — of a word
  5. stem — to come from
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lean — thin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mate — a partner
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. chest — of your body
  20. root — the cause
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mate — a friend

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