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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 120 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: capital · stem · swing · pass · craft · wake · rest · tear

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rest — what's left
  4. swing — music
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. capital — money
  7. swing — in golf
  8. craft — a skill
  9. swing — to play on
  10. craft — boats
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wake — a trail
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rest — a break
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. capital — a city

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