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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — a group
  5. bulb — for light
  6. face — part of the head
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. face — to confront
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hand — help
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stem — to come from
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bulb — for light
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. club — for dancing

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