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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. land — to come down
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. land — ground
  11. land — a country
  12. foot — a measure
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. capital — money
  16. stem — to come from
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wake — a trail
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a city
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wake — before a funeral

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