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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. game — a match
  3. dip — to sink
  4. tube — a container
  5. scale — size or range
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. game — wild animals
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ball — a dance
  13. scale — in music
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ball — a round shape

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