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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 · wake · content · row · trunk · craft · cue · rock

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rock — music
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. content — the amount
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. row — to paddle
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cue — a hint
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. craft — boats
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. row — a line
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. content — happy
  24. rock — a stone

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