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

Word bank: craft · rock · wax · rule · date · club · stem · pitch

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. rule — government
  9. wax — to grow
  10. club — a group
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rock — music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stem — to come from
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. craft — boats
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. craft — a skill
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. club — for golf

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