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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: fall · wake · fine · plane · stand · stem · wave · pit

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fine — all right
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wake — a trail
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fall — the season
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fine — high quality
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fine — a penalty

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