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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: craft · charge · stem · mouse · ground · date · land · firm

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — boats
  4. ground — a position
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. charge — in control
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stem — to come from
  9. charge — a price
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. land — a country
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. firm — a company
  17. charge — electricity
  18. land — to come down
  19. firm — decided
  20. land — ground
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. firm — steady
  24. date — the fruit

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