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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cell — in biology
  3. firm — steady
  4. current — of water
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. craft — boats
  7. band — a ring
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. current — electric
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. band — a music group
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. firm — a company
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. craft — a skill
  17. firm — decided
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cell — a phone
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. club — for golf
  22. current — happening now
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cell — in a prison

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