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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. present — the time now
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. spell — a short time
  7. present — a gift
  8. roll — a list
  9. club — a group
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. club — for golf
  12. degree — from a university
  13. present — there
  14. degree — temperature
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. stem — to come from
  17. degree — an amount
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. spell — magic
  21. lie — to recline
  22. spell — letters
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. roll — a cake

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