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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. race — a contest
  11. stock — goods
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. race — humankind
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stock — shares
  21. craft — boats
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. craft — a skill
  24. race — the arms race

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