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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pop — soda
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — high quality
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. fine — all right
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pop — music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. swing — music
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. toast — bread
  24. stem — to come from

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