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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mate — to breed
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spell — magic
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wake — a trail
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stock — goods
  13. swing — music
  14. shower — rain
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mate — a friend
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mate — a partner
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stock — shares

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