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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bass — the fish
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. spring — a coil
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lean — to bend
  10. spring — the season
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bass — low music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lean — thin
  19. spring — of water
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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