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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stem — to come from
  6. can — to be able to
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stand — to bear
  11. face — to confront
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. sharp — clever
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. can — a tin

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