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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: craft · pit · fan · stem · rock · saw · fork · bowl

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fork — in a road
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. saw — the tool
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rock — music
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fan — a supporter

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