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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. firm — decided
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stem — to come from
  11. chip — to eat
  12. key — in music
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cap — a lid
  17. firm — steady
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. chip — for betting
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. firm — a company

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