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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. foot — a measure
  5. current — happening now
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. current — of water
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lean — thin
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. lean — to bend
  23. current — electric
  24. fan — a supporter

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