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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 · root · fan · content · board · craft · bank · shower

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  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. bank — for money
  2. content — happy
  3. shower — rain
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. shower — to wash
  7. root — of a word
  8. board — to get on
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bank — of a river
  12. content — the amount
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. root — the cause
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bank — for money
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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