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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · rest · stem · snap · bulb · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rest — a break
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fine — all right
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rest — what's left
  15. snap — to click
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. snap — to speak sharply

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