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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. deal — to handle
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mate — a friend
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. net — after costs
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. net — for catching
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bark — to shout
  20. craft — boats
  21. toast — bread
  22. net — in sport
  23. mate — to breed
  24. craft — a skill

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