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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. scale — in music
  4. firm — a company
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. roll — a cake
  9. firm — steady
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. scale — size or range
  12. snap — to click
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. roll — a list
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. foot — a measure
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. firm — decided

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