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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. club — for golf
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. club — a group
  10. land — to come down
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. land — a country
  14. club — for dancing
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stem — to come from
  20. tube — a container
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pound — a weight
  23. land — ground
  24. stem — a stem cell

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