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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 116 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mug — to rob
  6. craft — boats
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. clip — a video
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. clip — for paper
  16. stem — to come from
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mug — a face
  21. clip — to cut
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. mug — a cup
  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