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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. firm — a company
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. craft — boats
  13. wound — an injury
  14. staff — a stick
  15. stem — to come from
  16. craft — a skill
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — decided

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