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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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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: racket · bulb · stem · craft · stand · cell · calf · deal

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cell — in biology
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. stem — to come from
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. craft — boats
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. craft — a skill
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. deal — to handle
  24. calf — a young animal

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