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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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. club — a group
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pop — soda
  5. bulb — for light
  6. land — to come down
  7. race — humankind
  8. land — a country
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. club — for golf
  16. land — ground
  17. pop — music
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pop — to visit
  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