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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stem — to come from
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mug — a face
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mate — a friend
  11. race — the arms race
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mouse — the animal

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