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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 124 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. stem — to come from
  4. craft — a skill
  5. row — to paddle
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. craft — boats
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. row — a line
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wind — moving air
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wind — moving air

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