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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 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. cue — a signal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. craft — boats
  18. current — electric

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