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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: stem · game · cabinet · cell · spell · craft · saw · charge

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. spell — magic
  6. craft — boats
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cell — in biology
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. charge — a price
  11. cell — a phone
  12. craft — a skill
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. game — wild animals
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spell — letters
  17. game — a match
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — electricity
  20. saw — the tool
  21. charge — in control
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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