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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. key — in music
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. current — electric
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. key — the most important part
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. current — of water
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. track — a song
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. key — for a lock
  13. track — a path
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — happening now
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bulb — for light
  18. track — to keep track
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. straw — a straw man

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