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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 116 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: bark · suit · firm · cell · stem · fan · wave · bat

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cell — a phone
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. firm — steady
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. firm — decided
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — a company
  20. bat — the animal
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stem — of a plant

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