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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pit — in a race
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mark — a trace
  7. charge — a price
  8. bulb — for light
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rest — a break
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rock — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mark — a grade

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