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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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: racket · craft · lash · cap · bark · current · stem · season

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. craft — a skill
  10. current — of water
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. season — in sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cap — a hat
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. season — of the year
  19. craft — boats
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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