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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: march · toast · stem · craft · racket · last · fork · bulb

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. craft — boats
  7. last — final
  8. march — the month
  9. bulb — for light
  10. march — the month
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. last — finally
  17. toast — bread
  18. march — music
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. craft — a skill
  21. last — to go on
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. racket — for tennis

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