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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: season · suit · wave · can · stem · bay · fall · leaves

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fall — to drop
  6. can — a tin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stem — to come from
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. season — in sport
  15. fall — the season
  16. season — of the year
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. suit — to fit
  19. can — a tin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. wave — of the sea

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