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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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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: staff · pit · perch · march · craft · cap · stem · nail

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. march — music
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pit — in a race
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. staff — employees
  17. march — the month
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. perch — the fish
  20. craft — boats
  21. cap — a lid
  22. march — the month
  23. pit — a hole
  24. craft — a skill

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