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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — for light
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rock — a stone
  11. race — humankind
  12. march — music
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bulb — for light
  15. race — the arms race
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. march — the month
  20. race — a contest
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stand — to bear

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