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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. prune — to trim
  8. current — electric
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. current — happening now
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — of water
  18. foot — a measure
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lean — thin
  24. foot — the bottom

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