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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. net — for catching
  3. charge — electricity
  4. present — a gift
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stem — to come from
  7. track — a song
  8. charge — in control
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lie — to recline
  13. present — the time now
  14. track — a path
  15. net — in sport
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. present — there
  18. track — to keep track
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rush — hurry
  24. net — after costs

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