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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. track — a path
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. track — a song
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fork — in a road
  15. chip — to eat
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. hand — in cards
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — help

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