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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 120 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stem — to come from
  4. craft — boats
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. swing — to play on
  10. file — a line of people
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bound — obliged
  14. file — a tool
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bass — low music
  18. bound — tied together
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bound — certain
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stand — on your feet

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