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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. charge — a price
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. craft — boats
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pass — a permit
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. craft — a skill

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