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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spell — magic
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — letters
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — a match
  16. spell — a short time
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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