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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 120 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: bore · chair · racket · stem · craft · firm

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stem — to come from
  7. firm — steady
  8. craft — boats
  9. firm — decided
  10. bore — to drill
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. firm — a company
  18. chair — to sit on

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