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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rest — a break
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. club — a group
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — what's left
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. club — for golf
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. club — for dancing
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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