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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: land · rock · mate · stem · craft · saw · tube · board

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rock — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. land — a country
  6. board — a committee
  7. craft — boats
  8. mate — a partner
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — the tool
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mate — to breed
  16. tube — the underground
  17. land — ground
  18. rock — a stone
  19. land — to come down
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. tube — a container
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mate — a friend

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