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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. craft — boats
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rock — music
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stem — to come from
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rock — to move gently

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