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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stem — to come from
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wound — an injury
  6. craft — a skill
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. craft — boats
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. toast — bread
  11. scale — in music
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. wound — an injury
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pound — a weight
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bound — certain
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stem — of a plant

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