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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ball — a great time
  14. track — a path
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. track — a song
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fan — a supporter

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