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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. craft — boats
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mate — to breed
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. pop — music
  22. bass — low music
  23. stem — to come from
  24. staff — employees

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