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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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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: snap · stand · stem · wave · mouse · march · race · craft

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. race — a contest
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. march — the month
  24. craft — boats

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