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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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. current — electric
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fork — in a road
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rest — a break
  12. current — of water
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ball — a dance
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. game — a match
  21. current — happening now
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rest — what's left

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