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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rash — a series
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. prune — to trim

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