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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bound — certain
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bulb — for light
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. kid — child
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stem — to come from
  15. foot — a measure
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bound — tied together
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — hurry

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