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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. snap — to click
  5. object — an aim
  6. cue — a hint
  7. net — for catching
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. craft — boats
  12. stem — to come from
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. object — to protest
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cue — for pool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pass — to spend time

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