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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stem — to come from
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. current — electric
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rash — a series
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. current — of water
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. key — in music
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. current — happening now

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