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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. deal — to handle
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. march — music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. march — the month
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. perch — the fish
  15. craft — boats
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. deal — an agreement

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