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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. current — happening now
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. current — electric
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stem — to come from
  15. craft — boats
  16. fall — the season
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. tube — a container
  20. current — of water
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. craft — a skill

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