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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: trunk · key · wave · rock · stock · craft · stem · last

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. last — to go on
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. last — final
  7. key — for a lock
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. last — finally
  18. craft — a skill
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. key — in music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. craft — boats

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