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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. scale — size or range
  4. spell — magic
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. vault — a safe
  9. spell — letters
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. scale — in music
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bulb — for light
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fine — high quality
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. squash — the sport
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. fine — all right
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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