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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. swing — music
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. plane — a tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. content — videos and posts

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