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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. march — the month
  4. stem — to come from
  5. track — to keep track
  6. march — the month
  7. craft — boats
  8. track — a song
  9. pitch — completely
  10. suit — to fit
  11. craft — a skill
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — clothes
  14. branch — a division
  15. march — music
  16. track — a path
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. suit — in cards

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