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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rest — a break
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — of water
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bass — low music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — a series
  16. current — happening now
  17. net — for catching
  18. current — electric
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rest — what's left
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. mouse — for a computer

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