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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pass — a permit
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rock — music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. roll — a list
  10. bound — certain
  11. root — of a word
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. roll — a cake
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. root — the cause
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. craft — boats
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. craft — a skill
  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