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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 112 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. craft — boats
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. prune — to trim
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rock — music
  13. craft — a skill
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. can — to be able to
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mate — a friend
  22. can — a tin
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. racket — for tennis

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