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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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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. mine — for digging
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bulb — for light
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rule — a law
  21. craft — boats
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. stem — a stem cell

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