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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. drill — army training
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — the tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. straw — a straw man

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