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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · suit · stem · wave · bulb · rule · pit · wake

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. row — a line
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. row — to paddle
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rule — government
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — in a race
  24. row — a quarrel

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