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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · craft · trunk · coach · date · pass · cell · root

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — a phone
  5. craft — boats
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. object — an aim
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. object — to protest
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. object — a thing
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — of a word
  23. date — the fruit
  24. cell — in a prison

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