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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. key — for a lock
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. swing — music
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. key — in music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. land — a country
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bulb — for light
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bulb — for light
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. swing — in golf

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