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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. mate — a friend
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. can — to be able to
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. current — happening now
  12. bulb — for light
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. can — a tin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. current — electric
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. band — a music group
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. can — a tin
  23. current — of water
  24. band — a ring

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