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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rock — a stone
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. roll — a list
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. roll — a cake
  19. degree — from a university
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bulb — for light
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. staff — employees

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