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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. club — a group
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pass — a permit
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bulb — for light
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. suit — in cards
  19. sharp — clever
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. firm — decided
  24. rock — music

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