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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. game — a match
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. game — wild animals
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. rule — government
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. craft — boats
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. craft — a skill
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bank — for money
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rule — a law
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rock — to move gently

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