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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mark — a trace
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rock — a stone
  15. chest — a box
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mark — a grade
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rock — music

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