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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 116 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: court · craft · track · plane · row · stem · cabinet · calf

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. track — a path
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stem — to come from
  7. row — a line
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. court — of a king
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. row — to paddle
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. track — to keep track
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. row — a quarrel

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