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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rock — music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stock — goods
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. pop — soda
  18. stock — shares
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. rest — what's left

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