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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. spell — magic
  4. rush — hurry
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. spell — a short time
  13. game — wild animals
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. club — a group
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. game — a match
  19. club — for golf
  20. pit — a hole
  21. spell — letters
  22. pit — in a race
  23. club — for dancing
  24. game — a kind of play

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