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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. land — to come down
  4. rock — music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. land — ground
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stem — to come from
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fork — in a road
  18. press — newspapers
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — a country
  24. wake — before a funeral

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