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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
468
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: staff · plane · bat · craft · temple · stem · stock · perch

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. craft — boats
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stem — to come from
  5. perch — the fish
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bat — the animal
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stock — goods
  20. plane — a tool
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stock — shares
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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