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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. board — a committee
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. spring — of water
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. club — for golf
  11. spring — the season
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fine — all right
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fine — high quality
  22. board — to get on
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bulb — for light

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