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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wind — moving air
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. march — the month
  10. charge — electricity
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. march — music
  13. net — in sport
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. net — after costs
  17. craft — boats
  18. charge — a price
  19. net — for catching
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. charge — in control
  22. wind — moving air
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitcher — a jug

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