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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: rock · stem · plane · prune · wave · current · craft · fork

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rock — a stone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fork — in a road
  9. stem — to come from
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rock — music
  15. craft — boats
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. current — happening now
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. craft — a skill
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. current — of water
  24. prune — the fruit

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