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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 116 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: mate · present · wave · mark · craft · racket · root · stem

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. present — a gift
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. craft — boats
  11. present — there
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. root — the cause
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mark — a trace
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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