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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. shower — rain
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stem — to come from
  17. perch — the fish
  18. shower — to wash
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bear — the animal
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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