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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: craft · cell · can · mate · court · wound · stem · key

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. cell — in biology
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cell — a phone
  6. craft — boats
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mate — to breed
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mate — a friend
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. can — a tin
  13. mate — a partner
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. can — a tin
  18. court — for sport
  19. key — in music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. court — of a king
  23. can — to be able to
  24. key — the most important part

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