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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stem — to come from
  4. scale — in music
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. current — of water
  13. stand — to bear
  14. craft — boats
  15. current — happening now
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. current — electric
  19. land — ground
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. land — to come down
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. land — a country
  24. swing — music

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