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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bank — for money
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bank — of a river
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bank — for money
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. chair — a leader
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bulb — for light

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