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

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. march — the month
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. march — music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. march — the month
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rest — a break
  18. ball — a round shape

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