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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 116 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rush — hurry
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. land — a country

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