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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wax — to grow
  6. spring — of water
  7. pop — to visit
  8. march — music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. march — the month
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. spring — the season
  15. pop — soda
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pop — music

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