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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. clip — for paper
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wax — to grow
  12. clip — a video
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. stem — to come from
  18. lean — thin
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. clip — to cut

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