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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spell — magic
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. shower — to wash
  10. stem — to come from
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. craft — a skill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — of water
  22. shower — rain
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spell — letters

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