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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 124 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. club — a group
  3. stem — to come from
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. club — for golf
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spell — magic
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. spell — letters
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. club — for dancing

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