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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. firm — steady
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pit — in a race
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wake — a trail
  12. swing — music
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pit — a hole
  18. court — for sport
  19. firm — decided
  20. stem — to come from
  21. court — of a king
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. firm — a company
  24. court — of law

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