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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 116 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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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: stem · craft · scale · bear · suit · rest · pop · rush

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. craft — boats
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pop — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pop — soda
  15. rest — a break
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. scale — in music
  24. bear — to put up with

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