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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: stem · season · craft · squash · bank · wake · bulb · spell

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bank — for money
  4. squash — the sport
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spell — magic
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bank — of a river
  10. craft — boats
  11. bulb — for light
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. season — in sport
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bank — for money
  19. spell — a short time
  20. season — of the year
  21. spell — letters
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. squash — the vegetable

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