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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: roll · wave · saw · bear · date · stem · jam · rest

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stem — to come from
  3. saw — the tool
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bear — the animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. roll — a cake
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. roll — a list
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. date — on the calendar

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