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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wake — a trail
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mate — to breed
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mate — a partner

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