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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. ground — crushed
  4. current — happening now
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ground — the earth
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. current — electric
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. club — a group
  12. current — of water
  13. club — for golf
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ground — a position
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. club — for dancing
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. arm — part of the body

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