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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
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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: pit · pop · object · hide · rush · wave · game · stem

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. object — to protest
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pop — music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. object — a thing
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pop — to visit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pit — a hole
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stem — to come from
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. game — a match
  23. object — an aim
  24. rush — hurry

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