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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. shower — rain
  6. swing — music
  7. pit — a hole
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — in a race
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bark — to shout
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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