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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wound — an injury
  3. suit — to fit
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stock — shares
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. dip — to sink
  15. craft — boats
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wound — an injury
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ball — a dance
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. charge — in control
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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