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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. march — music
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. kick — in football
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stem — to come from
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hand — help
  22. march — the month
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. march — the month

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