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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 124 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rash — a series
  3. pop — soda
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. club — for golf
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rash — hasty
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stem — to come from
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. present — there
  19. club — a group
  20. present — the time now
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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