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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. lean — thin
  11. degree — temperature
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rock — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. row — to paddle
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. row — a line
  22. degree — an amount
  23. lean — to rest against
  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