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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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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: spring · pass · wave · toast · craft · mate · stem · court

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. spring — the season
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. court — of law
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. spring — of water
  11. craft — boats
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spring — a coil
  22. court — of a king
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mate — a friend

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