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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. object — an aim
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. board — to get on
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fork — in a road
  20. board — a committee
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stem — to come from

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