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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · game · hide · ground · stem · toast · wave · roll

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. game — a match
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. game — wild animals
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. roll — a list
  10. toast — bread
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rule — a law
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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