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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stem — to come from
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ground — crushed
  9. band — a ring
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ground — a position
  15. band — a music group
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. craft — boats

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