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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fall — to drop
  3. squash — to crush
  4. suit — clothes
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cue — for pool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fall — the season
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. squash — the sport
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cue — a signal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. stem — to come from
  22. season — of the year
  23. fall — to drop
  24. season — in sport

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