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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. last — finally
  6. object — to protest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — an aim
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. object — a thing
  12. face — to confront
  13. bulb — for light
  14. face — to point toward
  15. last — final
  16. stem — to come from
  17. last — to go on
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bear — the animal
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bear — 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