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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stem — to come from
  7. face — to point toward
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. band — a music group
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a leader
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lean — thin
  16. craft — boats
  17. lean — to bend
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a ring
  22. face — to confront
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. face — part of the head

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