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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pop — music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. club — a group
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. content — the amount
  9. perch — the fish
  10. club — for golf
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pop — to visit
  15. content — happy
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pop — soda
  21. lean — thin
  22. club — for dancing
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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