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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 124 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. scale — size or range
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bass — low music
  17. scale — in music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — boats
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. nail — on a finger

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