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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. craft — boats
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rock — a stone
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. suit — clothes
  20. sharp — clever
  21. craft — a skill
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. rock — music

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