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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. land — ground
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. land — to come down
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. can — a tin
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. land — a country
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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