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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. current — of water
  9. press — to push
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a trace
  13. press — newspapers
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. current — electric
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stem — to come from
  22. snap — to click
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. current — happening now

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