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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: ground · mine · bear · leaves · stem · cell · mate · craft

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mine — for digging
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ground — a position
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bear — to put up with

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