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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 120 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pound — a weight
  3. craft — boats
  4. club — for golf
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stem — to come from
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rush — hurry
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. can — a tin

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