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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fork — in a road
  3. land — a country
  4. stem — to come from
  5. land — to come down
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. land — ground
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — boats
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. leaves — of a tree

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