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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pop — soda
  10. craft — boats
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pop — music
  17. cap — a hat
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — a practice
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. cap — a lid
  23. suit — clothes
  24. branch — a division

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