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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: stem · charge · file · can · land · craft · coach · bass

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bass — low music
  4. stem — to come from
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bass — the fish
  7. land — to come down
  8. charge — a price
  9. file — a tool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — ground
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. charge — electricity
  16. land — a country
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. can — to be able to
  21. charge — in control
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. file — a document

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