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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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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: stem · firm · bank · race · craft · fork

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bank — for money
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — in a road
  6. craft — a skill
  7. firm — decided
  8. race — the arms race
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. firm — steady
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stem — to come from
  15. craft — boats
  16. firm — a company
  17. race — humankind
  18. stem — of a plant

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