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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. field — a subject
  3. rash — a series
  4. craft — boats
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. field — farmland
  9. staff — employees
  10. object — a thing
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. object — an aim
  16. branch — a division
  17. staff — a stick
  18. object — to protest
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. field — for sport
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rash — on the skin

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