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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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pit — in a race
  3. face — to confront
  4. last — finally
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. last — to go on
  7. shower — to wash
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. last — final
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pit — a hole
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. face — to point toward

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