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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. board — to get on
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. can — a tin
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — clothes
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. band — a ring
  23. can — to be able to
  24. band — a rubber band

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