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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. pop — to visit
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. craft — boats
  11. current — happening now
  12. stand — to bear
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pop — soda
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. current — of water
  19. pop — music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rash — a series
  22. chest — a box
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stand — on your feet

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