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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. craft — boats
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. kick — in football
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. craft — a skill
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. capital — a city
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. branch — a division
  23. stem — to come from
  24. capital — money

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