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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. last — to go on
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. can — to be able to
  15. craft — boats
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. foot — a measure
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. last — final
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. last — finally
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. branch — a division

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