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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. tube — the underground
  4. club — a group
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rest — a break
  8. club — for golf
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. swing — music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. tube — a container
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — to play on
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rest — what's left

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