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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. pop — soda
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. ball — a dance
  7. foot — a measure
  8. prune — to trim
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pop — music
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. ball — a great time
  16. present — the time now
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pop — to visit
  19. toast — bread
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. toast — the most admired
  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