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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. file — a tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chair — a leader
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ground — crushed
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. stem — to come from
  22. file — a document
  23. ground — a position
  24. charge — in control

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