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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rock — a stone
  5. staff — a stick
  6. wax — to grow
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — for sport
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rest — a break
  17. rock — music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. field — farmland
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rest — what's left

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