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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rest — a break
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. roll — a list
  9. squash — to crush
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. squash — the sport
  15. rest — what's left
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — clothes

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