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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stem — to come from
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rest — a break
  5. track — to keep track
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rule — a law
  10. craft — boats
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rule — government
  15. field — farmland
  16. craft — a skill
  17. track — a path
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. track — a song
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rest — what's left
  22. field — a subject
  23. cue — a hint
  24. field — for sport

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