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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pop — music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mark — a trace
  6. track — a song
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. vault — a safe
  13. track — a path
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. mark — a grade
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pop — soda
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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