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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. craft — a skill
  19. band — a ring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. band — a music group

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