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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. fine — all right
  5. wound — an injury
  6. band — a ring
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — boats
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. cue — a signal
  23. band — a music group
  24. fine — high quality

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