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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. present — a gift
  7. swing — music
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. craft — boats
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. present — there
  17. swing — to play on
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. present — the time now
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. swing — in golf
  24. calf — a young animal

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