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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stem — to come from
  15. board — a committee
  16. craft — a skill
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — to get on
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ruler — a monarch

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