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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. row — to paddle
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. craft — a skill
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. craft — boats
  9. mug — a face
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mug — a cup
  13. row — a line
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stem — to come from

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