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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — there
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — clothes
  12. object — a thing
  13. firm — a company
  14. present — the time now
  15. object — an aim
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. present — a gift
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. object — to protest

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