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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — a path
  3. shower — to wash
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. current — of water
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. shower — rain
  10. current — electric
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. current — happening now
  14. staff — a stick
  15. track — a song
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fine — all right
  18. staff — employees
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wave — of the sea

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