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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — a friend
  7. tube — a container
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stem — to come from
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mate — to breed
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. content — happy
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. content — the amount

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