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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. charge — in control
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stem — to come from
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. plane — a tool
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. craft — a skill
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. patient — a sick person

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