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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bank — of a river
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bank — for money
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. suit — clothes
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. spell — letters
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. spell — magic
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. craft — boats
  24. perch — for a bird

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