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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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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: mug · roll · pound · nail · present · stem · bowl · craft

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stem — to come from
  15. roll — a list
  16. mug — to rob
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. craft — boats
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. present — there
  23. present — the time now
  24. mug — a face

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