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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. squash — to crush
  6. club — for dancing
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. game — wild animals
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bulb — for light
  14. club — for golf
  15. game — a match
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. current — electric
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitcher — a jug

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