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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 116 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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 — a stem cell
  2. capital — money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. current — of water
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. capital — a city
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. current — electric
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. current — happening now
  19. stem — to come from
  20. snap — to click
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bowl — a football final
  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