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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. charge — a price
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stem — to come from
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pit — in a race
  9. spring — of water
  10. charge — in control
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. land — to come down
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. land — a country
  20. pit — a hole
  21. spring — the season
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. land — ground
  24. bear — the animal

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