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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. spring — the season
  3. ground — a position
  4. stem — to come from
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ground — crushed
  7. spring — a coil
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ground — the earth
  10. craft — boats
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. spring — of water
  18. craft — a skill

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