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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. spell — magic
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. stem — to come from
  9. club — for golf
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — to bear
  12. present — there
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. spell — letters
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bulb — for light
  20. club — a group
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bowl — a dish

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