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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. content — happy
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cue — for pool
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. content — the amount
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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