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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bound — certain
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stem — to come from
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. last — final
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. craft — boats
  13. scale — in music
  14. march — the month
  15. bound — tied together
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bound — obliged
  18. march — music
  19. last — finally
  20. last — to go on
  21. march — the month
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. chip — for betting
  24. craft — a skill

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