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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. club — a group
  5. current — electric
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. capital — a city
  8. club — for golf
  9. bass — low music
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — for light
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. current — of water
  20. capital — money
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bass — the fish
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bulb — of a plant

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