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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 116 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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. shower — rain
  5. rock — music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. ball — a dance
  10. shower — to wash
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. present — there
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. present — a gift
  21. ball — a great time
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. present — the time now
  24. trunk — of a car

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