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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 116 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pop — soda
  3. net — after costs
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — the underground
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pop — to visit
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bass — low music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — music
  14. net — for catching
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bass — the fish
  17. club — for dancing
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. net — in sport
  21. tube — a container
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stem — to come from

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