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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. tube — a container
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. current — of water
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pass — a permit
  18. current — happening now
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. spring — a coil
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. current — electric

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