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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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. wave — of the sea
  4. perch — the fish
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stock — shares
  7. last — to go on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bass — low music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. last — finally
  17. stem — to come from
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — goods
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. last — final
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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