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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: stem · jam · craft · saw · stock · stick · land · leaves

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stock — shares
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. saw — the tool
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. craft — boats
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stem — to come from
  17. land — a country
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stock — goods
  20. land — to come down
  21. saw — the tool
  22. land — ground
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. craft — a skill

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