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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. file — a document
  11. stem — to come from
  12. craft — boats
  13. file — a tool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rush — hurry
  17. face — part of the head
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — a permit
  21. face — to confront
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. file — a line of people

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