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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. craft — a skill
  3. drill — the tool
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. drill — army training
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. current — of water
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. current — happening now
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stem — to come from
  17. current — electric
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — a line
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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