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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. spell — a short time
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a great time
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bulb — for light
  15. snap — to click
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ball — a dance

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