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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 120 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: wound · craft · fork · swing · stem · mug · season · track

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mug — a face
  5. track — a path
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fork — in a road
  8. craft — boats
  9. track — a song
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. craft — a skill
  13. swing — to play on
  14. season — of the year
  15. swing — music
  16. wound — an injury
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stem — to come from
  19. swing — in golf
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. season — in sport
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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