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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. staff — employees
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. present — the time now
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stem — to come from
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. present — a gift
  20. staff — a stick
  21. present — there
  22. tube — a container
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. staff — employees

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