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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 116 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. content — happy
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ground — a position
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bank — of a river
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bank — for money
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. content — the amount
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bank — for money
  16. squash — to crush
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — to come from
  20. craft — boats
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. squash — the sport
  24. craft — a handicraft

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