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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. band — a ring
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chest — of your body
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. foot — a measure
  13. chest — a box
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. fine — all right
  16. chest — of your body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. suit — in cards
  19. band — a music group
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. foot — part of the body

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