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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rash — a series
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mark — a grade
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rash — hasty
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. field — farmland
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bulb — for light
  20. field — a subject
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. object — a thing
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. field — for sport

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