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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.

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: craft · court · safe · stem · mouse · land · pit · bulb

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. court — of a king
  4. land — ground
  5. court — for sport
  6. craft — a skill
  7. land — to come down
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. court — of law
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. land — a country
  19. craft — boats
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stem — a stem cell

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