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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. craft — boats
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. cap — a hat
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. row — to paddle
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cap — of ice
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bank — for money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. craft — a skill
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. row — a line
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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