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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 120 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: bear · wave · rock · last · stem · fan · straw · rule

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rule — government
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. last — to go on
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rock — music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. last — final
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. last — finally
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rule — a law
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. fan — a supporter

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