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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. shower — to wash
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cue — for pool
  8. track — a song
  9. ball — a dance
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stem — to come from
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ball — a great time
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. shower — rain
  18. cue — a hint
  19. fine — all right
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. track — a path
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ball — a round shape

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