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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. land — a country
  10. game — a match
  11. land — ground
  12. stock — goods
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. game — wild animals
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. stock — shares
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. land — to come down
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spell — letters
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. spell — magic
  24. stem — to come from

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