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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. net — after costs
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. net — in sport
  9. band — a music group
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. stem — to come from
  15. key — in music
  16. can — a tin
  17. band — a ring
  18. net — for catching
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rash — hasty
  21. key — for a lock
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wave — of the sea

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