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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · foot · craft · date · stem · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. spell — a short time
  8. craft — boats
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. craft — a skill
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. game — wild animals
  16. foot — a measure
  17. game — a kind of play
  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