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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 120 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: craft · suit · stem · ground · chest · chip · perch · rash

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ground — a position
  7. chip — to eat
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ground — crushed
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rash — hasty
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rash — a series
  15. chest — of your body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ground — the earth
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. chest — of your body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. craft — boats

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