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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fork — in a road
  3. craft — a skill
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. craft — boats
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. kick — in football
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stem — to come from
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — a committee
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. kick — 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