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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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mark — a grade
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chest — a box
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. craft — boats
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stem — to come from
  24. chest — of your body

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