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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wound — an injury
  5. suit — clothes
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bat — the animal
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rock — a stone

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