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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. firm — steady
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. firm — a company
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. craft — boats
  10. firm — decided
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rock — a stone
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. clip — for paper
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rest — what's left
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. rest — a break
  22. clip — a video
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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