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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. firm — a company
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. craft — boats
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. snap — to click
  11. rush — hurry
  12. firm — steady
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. degree — an amount
  18. board — a committee
  19. degree — temperature
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. firm — decided
  22. stem — to come from
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. degree — from a university

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