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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · spring · arm · stem · bass · bulb · firm · rest

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — boats
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rest — a break
  10. craft — a skill
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — decided
  17. spring — of water
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bass — low music
  21. firm — steady
  22. rest — what's left
  23. firm — a company
  24. arm — a part of something

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