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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — music
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. object — an aim
  9. kick — in football
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. court — for sport
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. court — of a king
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rock — a stone
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. court — of law
  24. arm — a part of something

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