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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.

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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: craft · pit · stem · rest · ground · mine · pass · firm

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. firm — steady
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rest — a break
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rest — what's left
  10. craft — boats
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. firm — decided
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. firm — a company
  22. rest — what's left
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mine — an explosive

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