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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. foot — a measure
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. key — in music
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chair — a leader
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bulb — for light
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. current — of water
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. rush — hurry

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