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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.

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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. stem — to come from
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. charge — electricity
  5. file — a tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. file — a document
  9. rule — a law
  10. suit — to fit
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — boats
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rule — government
  15. charge — in control
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. saw — the tool
  20. craft — a skill
  21. file — a line of people
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  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