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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. current — happening now
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bulb — for light
  6. spell — letters
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. mate — a partner
  10. current — electric
  11. capital — a city
  12. mate — to breed
  13. capital — money
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. spell — magic
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. current — of water
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stem — to come from

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