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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. scale — size or range
  3. firm — a company
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. firm — decided
  8. prune — to trim
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. prune — to trim
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stem — to come from
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. scale — in music
  18. firm — steady

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