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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. spring — the season
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — in control
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stem — to come from
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. charge — electricity
  13. chip — for betting
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spring — of water
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. spring — a coil

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