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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
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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: object · rush · stem · fork · field · squash · craft · foot

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stem — to come from
  4. object — a thing
  5. fork — in a road
  6. foot — a measure
  7. squash — to crush
  8. craft — a skill
  9. squash — the sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — a subject
  12. object — to protest
  13. field — for sport
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. craft — boats
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. object — an aim
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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