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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. row — to paddle
  7. swing — music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. swing — in golf
  11. craft — boats
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. swing — to play on
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stem — to come from
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. row — a line

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