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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. land — a country
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fine — high quality
  17. scale — in music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. land — ground
  20. scale — size or range
  21. land — to come down
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wave — of the sea

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