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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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. kick — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ground — crushed
  6. kick — in football
  7. land — ground
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. track — to keep track
  12. land — to come down
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stem — to come from
  16. track — a path
  17. bass — low music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. track — a song
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bass — the fish
  22. land — a country
  23. craft — boats
  24. ground — a position

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