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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. scale — in music
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rock — music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. chest — of your body
  11. key — in music
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. scale — size or range
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. chest — a box
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — a tight spot

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