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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. season — in sport
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. fork — in a road
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. craft — boats
  21. season — of the year
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. present — a gift

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