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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. firm — steady
  4. craft — boats
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lie — to recline
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. spring — of water
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — decided
  24. pit — in a race

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