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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spell — a short time
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. spell — magic
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stem — to come from
  10. spell — letters
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. craft — boats
  19. drill — army training
  20. saw — the tool
  21. craft — a skill
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rush — hurry
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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