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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. file — a document
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. stem — to come from
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. face — to confront
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. file — a tool
  18. mine — for digging
  19. current — of water
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. file — a line of people
  24. dip — to sink

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