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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. current — happening now
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. tube — a container
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. tube — the underground
  13. date — the fruit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — electric
  16. stem — to come from
  17. current — of water
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. band — a music group
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. band — a ring
  24. lie — an untruth

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