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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bulb — for light
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bass — low music
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. ground — a position
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. chip — for betting
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. prune — to trim

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