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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. suit — clothes
  4. content — the amount
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. suit — to fit
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. squash — to crush
  10. content — happy
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stem — to come from
  13. suit — in cards
  14. date — the fruit
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. squash — the sport
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. face — to point toward
  19. spring — the season
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. face — part of the head
  22. spring — of water
  23. face — to confront
  24. spring — a coil

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