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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: press · march · stem · craft · bay · cabinet

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. press — to push
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. craft — boats
  7. march — the month
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. march — the month
  15. press — newspapers
  16. craft — a skill
  17. march — music
  18. stem — to come from

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