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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. object — an aim
  3. toast — bread
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mug — a cup
  8. track — a path
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cell — a phone
  12. mug — a face
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. object — a thing
  17. track — a song
  18. object — to protest
  19. game — a match
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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