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

Word bank: wave · pop · mouse · prune · stem · rest · board · key

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. board — to get on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rest — a break
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pop — soda
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pop — music
  24. board — a committee

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