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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pop — music
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. can — a tin
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pop — to visit
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pop — soda
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. craft — boats
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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