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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · rash · stem · staff · fan · bear · craft · fall

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. staff — employees
  3. craft — boats
  4. rash — a series
  5. key — in music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bear — the animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. fall — to drop
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fall — the season

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