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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rush — hurry
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. pitch — completely
  11. snap — to click
  12. craft — boats
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rush — a thrill

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