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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — music
  12. march — the month
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. snap — to click
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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