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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: firm · stem · club · board · stock · bulb · craft · spell

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spell — letters
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. club — for golf
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — to get on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — a skill
  12. club — a group
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stem — to come from
  15. club — for dancing
  16. board — a committee
  17. stock — shares
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stock — goods
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. craft — boats
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bulb — for light

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