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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 116 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. dip — to sink
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. object — to protest
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. object — an aim
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. object — a thing
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. ruler — for measuring

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