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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. tube — a container
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. key — in music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. key — for a lock
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. board — a committee
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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