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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. court — of a king
  5. craft — boats
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. court — for sport
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. court — of law
  13. last — final
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. last — finally
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. stem — to come from
  19. craft — a skill
  20. roll — a list
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. last — to go on
  24. rock — to move gently

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