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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: safe · present · stem · band · degree · craft

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. present — a gift
  3. craft — a skill
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. degree — from a university
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. degree — temperature
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. band — a music group
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stem — to come from
  15. band — a ring
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. degree — an amount
  18. craft — boats

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