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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. club — for golf
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. squash — the sport
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lean — thin
  16. squash — to crush
  17. club — for dancing
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. vault — a safe
  24. date — the fruit

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