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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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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 · ball · trunk · stem · board · ground · lean · fine

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. craft — boats
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fine — all right
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — a position
  16. lean — thin
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ball — a dance
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. board — to get on
  21. fine — high quality
  22. board — a committee
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fine — a penalty

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