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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.

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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ball — a great time
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ball — a dance
  11. court — for sport
  12. mark — a grade
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mouse — the animal

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