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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mark — a grade
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mug — to rob
  6. tube — the underground
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mug — a cup
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mark — a trace
  22. tube — a container
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mug — a face

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