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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. face — to confront
  11. tube — the underground
  12. suit — clothes
  13. object — a thing
  14. cue — a hint
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cue — for pool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — to come from
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cue — a signal
  21. object — an aim
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wake — a trail
  24. stem — a stem cell

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