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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 · drill · board · key · stem · fine · root · mouse

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. key — in music
  3. fine — all right
  4. board — to get on
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. craft — a skill
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. root — the cause
  13. board — a committee
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. craft — boats
  22. fine — high quality
  23. root — of a plant
  24. key — the most important part

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