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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bulb — for light
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rash — a series
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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