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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. can — a tin
  6. field — farmland
  7. stem — to come from
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. charge — in control
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. plane — a tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. field — for sport
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. tube — a container
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. charge — a price
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. charge — electricity
  24. can — a tin

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