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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. rash — hasty
  4. capital — a city
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. rash — a series
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pitch — completely
  19. capital — money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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