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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stem — to come from
  7. branch — a division
  8. court — of a king
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — in a race
  11. present — a gift
  12. court — for sport
  13. pit — a hole
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rule — a law
  16. court — of law
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. present — there
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rule — government

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