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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.

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: charge · root · bat · stem · straw · plane · craft · sharp

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. craft — a skill
  5. charge — a price
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. root — of a word
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stem — to come from
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. root — of a plant
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. root — the cause
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. charge — electricity
  21. craft — boats
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. charge — in control

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