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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. mate — a friend
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stem — to come from
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. land — ground
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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