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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: present · squash · straw · board · capital · stem · bore · craft

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. present — the time now
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. squash — to crush
  9. present — a gift
  10. board — to get on
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. board — a committee
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bore — to drill
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. capital — a city
  17. stem — to come from
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. squash — the sport
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. bore — to tire
  23. capital — money
  24. present — there

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