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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. march — music
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — for light
  6. track — a path
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. track — to keep track
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. current — of water
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mine — for digging
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. current — happening now
  23. bulb — for light
  24. track — a song

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